by Griff Hosker
The ground started to rise slightly. Ulf took us off the track and into the woods which grew to the left of us. I doubted that we could have been seen but this path guaranteed that. Ulf had never been here before but he took us unerringly in the right direction. He put his hand up and we stopped. He led us towards the sea again. As the trees thinned I saw that there was a slight rise which had a wooden palisade. It was too dark to see the top but we knew where the village was. We moved back into the trees and this time walked with the small hill to our right. When we had passed the hill Ulf squatted. We would now wait until the Jarl attacked the sleepy settlement. I took the opportunity of taking off my shield. I sat on that. We waited.
As our ears became attuned to the night I heard the sounds of the woods behind us as well as the sea as it surged back and forth. Animals skittered back and forth. Leaves moved as roosting birds prepared for their dawn chorus. When I heard a faint sound from the east which was not natural then I knew the attack was beginning. Ulf and I stood together. I saw him smile approvingly. I slung my shield over my left arm and silently slid my sword from the sheepskin lined scabbard. Ulf's weapon was already in his hand. We moved from the shelter of the woods and, crouching, headed towards the track. There was a shallow ditch along both sides. I guessed this low lying land flooded frequently and the ditch kept the path drier. Ulf went to the one on the river side and I took the other. We crouched down.
Then we heard the clamour of battle as the clan attacked the gates. They must have been poorly made for we heard a crash and then the gates which lay just a hundred paces from where we hid opened. We had not seen them until their opening showed the braziers of the night watch within. A rider burst out. Ulf and I stepped out of the ditch when the horse was just twenty paces from us. We both held our shields out and the startled horse stopped. Ulf's sword slashed at the rider's side and as he tumbled from the back of the saddle I grabbed its reins. A riderless horse galloping into the next town would be as disastrous as a messenger.
I sheathed my sword and stroked the horse's neck to calm him. I led him to the woods and tied his reins to the lower branch of a tree. I returned to Ulf and we stood side by side on the track. The screams and cries from within told us that our men were winning but we saw nothing for they had closed the gates again. Ulf tired of waiting and he led us down to the gate. There was no sentry on the walls. I wondered if Ulf was considering entering the town when the gate opened. As it opened inwards we walked with it. The three warriors and the handful of people who stood there were not expecting two mailed Vikings to be standing there. I think they must have been preparing to flee.
We reacted first. I lunged at the nearest Saxon with my sword. He wore no mail and my sword bit into his stomach. The people who had been with the warriors fled back to the huts. As I pulled my sword out a second warrior hit his axe against my shield. I brought my sword over my head and it struck him in his neck. My sword bit down into flesh and blood spurted. Ulf had slain the third.
"Close and bar the gates."
I pushed the heavy gates back in position. I had to sheathe my sword for the bar took two arms to lift it and drop it back in position. We were stood together with the three dead Saxons before us when Siggi, Beorn and Rurik raced up. They looked relieved to see us. Siggi nodded, "We wondered if any had escaped."
Ulf spat, "We were told to stop any who tried to escape. Did the Jarl not trust us?"
Beorn laughed, "Nothing would get past you two!"
The drekar was brought down to anchor closer to this village which, we learned from the captives, was called Gyllingas. The men of the village had died fighting. They had grain and, as dawn broke we began to load it aboard the drekar. A cow was slaughtered and put on a large fire to cook. The Jarl came over to Ulf and me. "The captives tell me that there is a larger place just down the river. It is called Hrofecester. We cannot get further upstream because there is a bridge there. I think there is a small huddle of huts between here and this large town. It is called Cetham. Take six men and capture it."
Ulf turned and went into the village to choose the men. I took the opportunity of returning the horse to its stable. Ulf had chosen young men who could run. Beorn Fast Feet, Ketil Eriksson and his brother Knut One Eye were three while he also picked Karl Swift Foot, Sigtrygg Red Hair and Gunnstein Gunnarson. "We have to take a small village. We will run there. Hrolf take Beorn and Karl run around the village and attack from the far side. No one escapes."
I slung my shield over my back and we began to run. We did not have far to go. It was low lying land and the village was slightly raised above the surrounding land. It was still misty and we saw shadows not houses. We crossed a shallow beck and I smelled the fires from the huts. I led my two men up stream and we ran again using the muddy, swampy, folds in the land to hide us from the huts I knew were not far away. When I thought we had gone far enough I turned and moved cautiously through the trees to the fields I saw before us. Cetham was a miserable little place. There were four huts. It was still early but I saw two men by the shore examining their nets. Even as we moved towards them one of them glanced east and saw the mast of the drekar. He shouted the alarm and we hurried to meet them.
Karl Swift Foot and Beorn Fast Feet lived up to their names and they reached the two men before they could get to the huts. They slew them. Our arrival drove the other villagers towards Ulf and the others. They were soon stopped. The mist lifted, almost as though it had been pulled up by the gods, or the Norns. I turned and saw, less than two thousand paces from us, a walled village on a high piece of ground. It was bigger than Gyllingas and I saw, rising above the walls, a tower. It had a well made church. It had to be Hrofecester. Here would be treasure. I ran back to Ulf.
"I think I have found Hrofecester. It has a good wall and a church but it is close enough for them to see us here. From the tower they might be able to see the drekar."
He turned to the Eriksson brothers, "Take the captives and the animals back to the drekar. Tell the Jarl we have found Hrofecester but we need to strike now before the drekar is seen." As the brothers herded the captives to travel the mile and a half back to the drekar, Ulf waved us towards the woods. "If there is a bridge then we need to stop any from escaping that way. Come."
He was not daunted at the prospect of four men holding off however many warriors were in the town. We were Raven Wing Clan and we were warriors. I could see, from the land over which we travelled, that this Hrofecester had water on three sides. I guessed that there would be a ditch before it. We needed to get to the branch of the river which headed west and approach the bridge with stealth. I had seen Roman bridges before. They were made of stone and not wood. Climbing one would be very hard and so we would need to sneak along the river bank. I hoped that the four men we had with us were able to do what I knew Ulf and I could do- disappear. The people of this town had cleared the trees and farmed the land for a hundred paces around. We used the woods they had left for cover.
I followed Ulf and the other four walked behind me. Suddenly Ulf stopped and held up his hand. I sniffed as I had seen Ulf do many times. I could smell men. They smelled differently to us. Once I could smell them I heard them as they walked towards us through the woods. I silently drew my sword. We could not see them and we used our ears and noses to tell us when they were close. I left my shield over my back. Ulf lunged forward and I went to my left. The surprised hunter had good reactions and his bow was coming up even as I ran him through with Heart of Ice.
Ulf turned to the others, "Strip the bodies of treasure and then hide them. Follow Hrolf and me."
When I had smelled the men I had also smelled the river and thirty paces from where we had slain the hunters we saw the river. The tide was heading out and there were mud flats. It would make our approach difficult. We found a good vantage point from which to view the bridge and the town while we waited for the others to hide the bodies. The walls, some two hundred paces from us were made of wood but they were substantial. I could not see
it but I knew that there would be a ditch around it. The tower of the church was clearly visible. I saw no watch on the walls and, being winter, no one worked the fields. The pillars of the bridge could be seen and they were stone. This was a Roman bridge.
The other four joined us. Ulf led us to the river. There was a bank and we slid down it. We had cover from the town walls and we moved along the river treading the narrow line between the bank and the cloying mud. As it was winter there were few river birds which might be startled by our approach and we headed towards the bridge. I could see, at the far end, a wooden gate. There would be guards there. I hoped they would be looking north. As we neared the walls I saw that the only way we could ascend the bridge was by climbing the stone pillar close to the land. It was as high as two men.
Surprisingly we reached the bridge unseen. Ulf pointed to Gunnstein Gunnarson and Karl Swift Foot when we sheltered close to the end of the stone bridge. They took Karl's shield and held it between them. Ulf slipped his shield behind his back as I did and we sheathed our swords. Ulf climbed on the shield and the other two raised him into the air. He leapt up to grab hold of the parapet and plant his feet on the stone ledge which supported the bridge. I jumped on the shield and was propelled upwards. Ulf had vacated the ledge and slipped over the top. As I followed him I saw that the gate to the town was still open. Just then I heard a bell tolling. Had we been seen? When no arrows came in our direction I guessed that the drekar had been seen or the clan, advancing down the road. Even as we hurried the twenty steps to the gate two guards saw us and shouted something. The door slammed shut. I saw Sigtrygg and Beorn as they began to help Karl to clamber up. A spear clattered into Beorn's shield across his back.
Ulf and I ran back to help. We held our shields above our heads and then over our comrades as they climbed up. The worth of our shields was shown that day as arrows and spears tried to penetrate their defence. They failed. With all six of us on the bridge we had a decision to make. Ulf took it. "We run to the middle and stand back to back. If they want this bridge then they have to take it from us. Pick up any spears that you can. Perhaps we can return them to their owners eh?"
Ulf was enjoying himself. I saw an unbroken spear which had hit the metal boss of my shield. I picked it up and, still holding the shield behind me I ran to the middle. Ulf said, "Hrolf you Sigtrygg and Karl watch the far end."
The bridge was just a little wider than our three shields but not by much. The six of us were a barrier. We were far enough from the two ends to be safe from spears and all but the most accurately aimed arrow. If they wished us removed then they would have to winkle us out and that would take men from the defence of the town. I saw that there were six men at the far end of the bridge in the gatehouse. They had a dilemma. Could the six of them attack us and remove us? They obviously thought not for they stayed where they were. Their problem was that the gate on the bridge was designed to stop an enemy getting on to the bridge and not from it. I saw the men as they peered at us. They were town watch. They had no mail and crude leather helmets. They had spears and shields. The shields I could see were just made of wood.
"Ulf, I think we can take the six men at the far end of the bridge. If we held the far end then it would help the Jarl."
"You can do it?"
"I think so but in any case we can whittle their numbers down. I see no mail."
"Then go. May the Allfather be with you."
I turned to the others. "We walk as though we are in the shield wall."
Karl said, "Let us chant then. It will fright our foes."
Raven Wing Clan goes to war,
A song of death to all its foes
The power of the raven grows and grows.
The power of the raven grows and grows.
The power of the raven grows and grows.
As usual the chant kept the beat and our shields were as one. The end of the bridge was just thirty paces from us. I did not understand the words of the men there but someone shouted orders and spears were hurled at us. They were wasted; they should have saved them for when we struck. We saw the missiles coming and ducked beneath the trim of our shields. When they hit we raised our heads again. We did not slow as we marched. They would have been better going for our legs but they saw our shields and aimed at them but they did no damage. Their leader quickly stood with three of his men ain a line with two more behind. Their shields were smaller than ours. Having hurled their spears they were unarmed. Sigtrygg reached around with his spear and broke the shaft of the spear which was embedded in his shield.
It was we who held spears. Even though they had been used they would strike the enemy before they could fight back. I had to time this right. "Charge!" When we were four paces away we charged with our spears above our shields. I punched with my spear a heartbeat before our shields clashed. My spear entered the eye of the one who gave orders. The two behind were splattered with blood, brains and gore as the head of the spear smashed through the back of his skull. They both ran. Opening the gate they fled towards the road to Lundewic.. Karl had also wounded his man and the last two, realising they were outnumbered also ran. These were not warriors. This was the town watch. As Sigtrygg despatched the last man I shouted. "Close the gate!" Karl obeyed and then I turned and shouted, "Ulf, we have this gate!"
Even as I shouted I saw that the gates to the town had opened and warriors were coming towards us. Had the Jarl's attack failed?
Ulf and the other two ran towards us. They picked up the spears as they passed them. "We will hold them here. You did well Hrolf. It is our turn now. Shield wall."
There were just six of us in the shield wall. I stood behind Ulf and held my shield angled to protect his head and me. I pushed my spear through the gap to rest on his shoulder. We started to sing as they approached. This time it was not to help us march but to put fear into their hearts. We sang a little louder each verse.
Raven Wing Clan goes to war,
A song of death to all its foes
The power of the raven grows and grows.
The power of the raven grows and grows.
The power of the raven grows and grows.
It worked for they slowed. This was not the town watch who approached but some of the warriors from the town. The leader had a full length byrnie but he had a white beard. He was an old man. Only Ulf had a full byrnie in our front rank but the other two had mail shirts which covered their bodies. Our shields and helmets would protect us. Those alongside the old Eorledman had smaller shields than us and open helmets. Their spears shook a little as they approached. They outnumbered us but we were the wolves from the north. Their priests told them tales of us to inspire fear. Before they had even met us we already held an advantage. The fact that we stood and did not move was worrying for our enemies.
"Brace!" When Ulf sensed that they were going to charge we all stepped forward on our left legs and locked shields.
The Eorledman shouted, "Charge! For King Baldred!" I knew enough of their language to understand most of the words.
We needed no orders to use our spears. We had done this before. We punched them at the faces. Mine went into the cheek and tore a hole in the side of the face of the warrior who faced me. Their spears clattered and banged against our wall of wood and iron. They were not using the advantage of weight of numbers. The ones behind were waiting for their chance to fight rather than pushing behind their warriors in the front rank. As the man I had hit reeled from the line Sigtrygg, in the fore stabbed at the unprotected middle of the man revealed by the fleeing warrior. Karl next to me saw his chance and plunged his spear into the side of the man nearest the edge of the bridge. He punched with his shield and the man toppled into the river.
Ulf shouted, "Forward!"
We were all using spears and it was hard to use them properly. I saw Ulf, as he stepped forward, head butt the Eorledman in the face. I was pushing into Ulf's back and the Eorledman lost his balance and tumbled backwards. Ulf had fast reactions and his spear stabbed int
o the thigh of the leader. As blood spurted his oathsworn dragged him from our spears. As we stepped forward into the gap Sigtrygg, Beorn, Karl and Gunnstein Gunnarson took advantage and their spears came back bloody. There are moments in battle when you seize your chances. This was one such opportunity. Ulf yelled, "Charge!"
I hurled my spear at one of the oathsworn who was helping the Eorledman to his feet and drew Heart of Ice. My spear struck him in the leg. I roared, "Heart of Ice and the Raven Wing Clan!" I brought it across the side of the head of the wounded warrior. It bit through to bone and he fell dead. The last two oathsworn used their shields to protect them as the Eorledman was helped back to the gates of Hrofecester. Some of those from the town were so afraid of us that they panicked and fell as they fled. They were quickly slain. We halted twenty paces from the gates for arrows and javelins as well as lead balls were hurled at us.
Ulf shouted, "Hide inside your walls but it will avail you nothing! We are Raven Wing Clan!" We all joined in the chant.
" Raven Wing Clan!"
" Raven Wing Clan!"
" Raven Wing Clan!"
There was silence after the third chant and Ulf said, "Let us go back to the other end!"
We walked backwards as missiles slammed and cracked into our shields and pinged off our helmets. Had we worn helmets such as the Saxons wore then we would have been hurt but each of us had invested his money wisely in well made helmets and leather caps beneath them.
When we reached the other end we slipped inside the chamber which the guards had used. There was bread, cheese and ham as well as beer. "Hrolf, keep watch while we eat. We will save you some!"
I walked back onto the bridge. Below I saw the body of the man who had plunged to his death. I lay my shield down and sheathed my sword as I climbed the ladder to the walkway above the bridge. I peered north west. I could see the Roman Road headed towards Lundenwic. Were the guards heading for there or was there another burgh closer? I did not think it mattered. It would take time to get here and if our encounter on the bridge was a measure of the defenders of this town then we would be gone before they would find us. I turned to look at the burgh at the other end of the bridge. There did not seem to be many men on the gate and I could hear, in the distance, the sound of fighting. The Jarl and the rest of our band were attacking.